How does Michelle feel about this? “Okay lang naman po kasi 20 lang ako and, as they say, just be patient kasi pana-panahon lang yan. I’m confident that in God’s own time, darating din yung time na mabibigyan ako ng break. Also, nag-aaral po kasi ako. Third year na po ako sa course kong human resource management and I’m a regular student. I will be graduating by next year. Siguro po, after makatapos ako ng college, I can focus totally na sa showbiz career ko. Naniniwala kasi ako sa importance of having a degree and higher education.”
She’s happy that although she has yet to play a lead role, she’s never without an assignment. “Hindi naman po ako pinapabayaan ng ABS kasi lagi akong may show through the years. Andami ko na ngang nagawang soaps kahit na supporting ang roles ko, like ‘Dream Dad’, ‘Sana Bukas Pa ang Kahapon’, ‘Luv U’, ‘Someone to Watch Over Me’, ‘The Greatest Love’, ‘La Luna Sangre’, bukod pa sa guestings ko sa ‘Maalaala Mo Kaya’, ‘Ipaglaban Mo’ and other shows.”
She has also done several movies like the horror flicks “Pagpag” and “The Debutantes”, and she played Sharon Cuneta’s daughter in “Ang Pamilyang Hindi Lumuluha”. She now plays the lead role of Nelia in the romantic-drama, “Dito Lang Ako”, and she’s given a ka-love team, Jon Lucas, as her leading man.“Siempre, excited po ako kasi first time kong makapagbida sa pelikula, na siya namang wini-wish na mangyari ng kahit sinong artista,” she beams. “Bale limang taon ko rin itong hinintay kasi laging friend ako o kapatid ng bida, o kaya, mean girl. Hindi nga ako sanay na may ka-loveteam but it’s good si Jon Lucas ang ipinareha nila sa’kin kasi magka-batch kami sa Star Magic. Friends na kami so we never felt awkward at comfortable kami agad sa isa’t isa.”
They were shooting the movie when Jon’s mom passed away early this year. “I’m close to them so iyak ako nang iyak sa wake and I told Jon, nandito lang ako kung kailangan mo ng makakausap.”
What about Jon’s admission that he’s now married and a dad? “Kita ko namang happy siya sa family niya and he deserves to be happy. Lahat naman tayo, entitled to our own happiness.”
Produced by Robertson Sy Tan of Blade Entertainment and directed by Roderick Lindayag based on the script of Fanny Dychiao and Harvey Aquino, “Dito Lang Ako” is the story of Nelia and Delfin (Michelle and Jon) who fell in love in the early 1970s. But fate conspired for their romance to be aborted. They meet again 40 years later, with Boots Anson Roa playing Nelia and Freddie Webb as Delfin. Will there be a part 2 for their interrupted romance? That’s what you’ll find out when you see “Dito Lang Ako” when it opens in theaters on August 8.
